Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Jannik Sinner of Italy in their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo)

Novak Djokovic reached his 11th Australian Open final after defeating two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in a five-set match that finished well past midnight in Melbourne.After four hours and nine minutes on Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic dropped to his knees. He then walked to his chair and sat with his head in his hands. The clock showed half past one in the morning. In the deciding set, he saved eight break points.The scoreline read: Sinner 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 Djokovic.It was the first time Djokovic had beaten Sinner since 2023, after losing their previous five meetings. Speaking on court to Jim Courier, Djokovic struggled to hold back tears. His coach was also emotional. Djokovic said he was “lost for words,” called the match “surreal,” and joked that he thanked Sinner for finally letting him win.This is Djokovic’s first Grand Slam final since Wimbledon 2024. If he wins on Sunday, it will be his first major title since the 2023 US Open. It will also be 18 years since he won his first Grand Slam title, which came in Melbourne.At 38, Djokovic is now one win away from a record-extending 11th Australian Open title. A victory would also give him his 25th Grand Slam singles title, moving him ahead of Margaret Court for the most major singles titles in tennis history.Waiting for him in the final is world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz. The match will be a rematch of the 2024 Wimbledon final and the Paris Olympics gold-medal match. Alcaraz reached the final earlier on Friday after a long five-set win over third seed Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4), 7-5, in a match that lasted nearly five and a half hours.Djokovic’s chase for history continues on Sunday, back on the court where his Grand Slam journey began.